Animal Masks
by pockybear2323
Summary: Could you love someone you've never met before, or seen, even if some how, you know them? A NatsumeXMikan Fic. Take a look at the mixed up life of Mikan and Natsume, rich and poor, two different worlds, combined by fate. T for swearing.
1. Chapter 1: Showtime

P&B: I'm baaaaack! Did anyone miss me? *Silence* Oh stop it! You're making me blush! Anyways, while I was away, I came up with a great story that's supposed to be located somewhere during the medival times or something like that. I'm not really accustomed to going medival so if there are any bad spelling mistakes or if I'm out of character please let me know so that I can change it. Remember, I don't own anything! Throughout this story, I have no connection with the original story and anything I decide to mention! Thx, on with the story!

Rain: Hey, I wanted to talk!

_**Edit:**_ I tweaked it a lot. And I changed things around a bit. Tried to make Natsume not as OOC. : P

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><p>.:.:Chapter 1: Memories:.:.<p>

"_Natsume, I can't…."_

"_No Mikan, please don't let go of me, don't let go!"_

"_I'm sorry."_

"_MIKAN!"_

"Mikan." The boy whispered and sighed as he was fixing the covers of his small bed. It was itchy and scratchy as usual, but it was all he had, and he couldn't complain. After all, the royal family had given him a place to stay, and for that he was eternally grateful.

He had the dream again, the dream of her. It had chilled him to the bone like it always had, the way it was all so vivid, as if it had happened only yesterday instead of years ago. There was never something more horrifying to wake up to than the death of your best friend, or anyone at that matter.

His bedroom was very small, with a tiny bed and and even smaller dresser housing his few pairs of clothes. Although his room was small, it was located high within the castle, giving him the satisfaction of having such a magnificent view, including the Sakura tree they loved so dearly. When she was still with them, she would adore looking at all the people outside and take so much amusement out of the littlest things. The floors were stone and always cold to the touch, which was always something that she would love during summer, lying down on the cool floors in the hot weather. The wall was very cracked and she would trace the small defects in them as if they were paths leading to a special place. Natsume could barely look around the room without his eye catching something that reminded him of her.

He knew the chief would come when the sun has reached its peak; he had a bit of time to spare. He took out his sketchbook hidden between the moth-eaten mattress and the bed frame and opened it up to his favorite drawing. It was very worn and torn and practically falling apart in his hands. Has it been six years, or seven, that he's had this book yet it's already in bad condition? His crimson eyes immediately filled with sadness as he saw the drawing.

It was of a girl in a pretty dress, about ten years old. Hair tied up into pigtails near underneath their Sakura tree. She was gently clutching a flower close to her chest, eyes glazed as they looked into the distance. Natsume swore he could hear screams and laughter, childhood friends playing around, or just relaxing. He smiled a little at the thought.

"_Natsu-Kun, why do you like to draw?"_

"_Well, Polkadots, drawing is a way to express yourself, like singing or playing an instrument. If a singer were sad then she would sing a sad melody, if she were happy, she would sing a happy melody."_

"_Natsu-Kun, I wanna see your drawings!"_

"_Not today, but when the time comes, you will see them, Polka."_

"_Stop calling me Polka!"_

A creak was heard with his cat-like ears and his head snapped towards the person who was barging through his train of thought. He was a blond haired teen with clear blue eyes standing at the doorway, leaning against the frame. In his hand was a beautifully crafted rabbit mask.

"Still thinking of her, are we?"

"Ruka."

He walked slowly towards him, standing at his side with a calm and gentle expression on his face. He took a glance at the drawing and sighed. "I know you miss her most out of all of us but don't blame yourself. Nobody could have prevented it, and you know that."

"It's not just her I miss, it's everything, the joy, the memories, when we were kids, everything. You know, sometimes I just wish I could forget it all, pretend as if it never existed." He clenched the book tightly with frustration.

"But the moments that we still treasure… would you be able to give those up as well as everything else?" Ruka looked worriedly at his best friend.

Natsume opened his mouth but shut it as quickly, words dying on his tongue.

Ruka put his hand on Natsume's shoulder. "It's the princess's birthday today."

Natsume put the book down onto the bed. "I know."

"I know how much she means to you, how much she means to all of us, but-"

"It's fine, just stop." He shook Ruka's hand off his shoulder and took his tie, tying it around his neck as if tying a noose.

Ruka shook his head stalking over to the door, looking back at him one last time. "You know, don't give up to prophecy and rules. Only you can change your own fate, and the fate of others."

"Ruka, when have you become the 'O wisdom full and elderly one'?" He glared at him, still fixing his bowtie.

Ruka laughed and Natsume cracked a small, sad smile. Ruka reached for the doorknob but just before he could grasp it, someone slammed open the door.

"It is I, the almighty and powerful Kokoro the great!" The teen with his spiky, blond hair and dark brown eyes made his grand entrance, hands up in the air as if expecting some sort of applause to befall him.

"Koko-I mean Kokoro-Sama, why are you even here?"

"I just wanted to check up on my favorite servant, what's so wrong about that? I mean, since it _is_ the princess's sixteenth birthday."

"Wait, where is Ruka?" Natsume asked quizzically.

Koko slowly closed the door and there stood Ruka, pressed to the wall, blood coming out of his nose. He completely crumbled down to the floor, unconscious. His bunny mask was, unbelievably unscathed.

Natsume walked over to Ruka with a tired expression.

"Ruka…. Oh man… sorry, buddy…." Kokoro's hand flew to his forehead.

Natsume grunted and groaned, lifting Ruka up and dropping him onto his bed without grace.

"Sorry Natsume, I can't… I'm royal-"

"I know, Kokoro-Sama. You may leave me to tend to Ruka." Natsume said in an almost robotic tone, never taking one glance toward Koko.

Koko sighed, his arrogant attitude disappearing in a flash, his signature grin faltering slightly. He stubbornly stood in place.

"Do you love her?"

The question that came out of the mind reader's mouth caught him off guard. He stood there frozen to his spot.

"Not anymore, she's not the same." He continued to dab a wet cloth at Ruka's nose, cleaning off the blood.

"You're lying, I can see it in your mind. You love her, more than life itself." He used his Alice.

Natsume turned to face Koko.

No matter how much he ignored it, no matter how much he hid or lied endlessly, he could never escape the truth. He was a servant, she was royalty, she had an Alice and he didn't. They could never be together. It was impossible; she was getting betrothed that day as well! No matter how many times he looked at it, it was never going to change.

"-tsume, Natsume!"

"What is it, Kokoro-Sama?" He asked, still acting polite.

"Your chief called, he told the staff to come to the ballroom immediately! Hurry up or you guys will be late! And wake up sleeping beauty over here as well!" Koko flashed him his signature grin, dashing out of the room and slamming the door shut, waking Ruka up.

"Wha-what just happened…? Why was I unconscious? And why is there blood on my shirt?" He shot up as straight as a stick and stared at his bloodied dress shirt.

He searched through his dresser, finding a spare white dress shirt and tossing it over to Ruka who caught it and responded with a brief thanks, changing quickly. "I'll explain later. We've got a party to get over with."

He dug his hand back into his mattress, putting back his old sketchbook and searching for another item he couldn't leave without.

"Found it."

It was a cat mask, black, very mysterious, beautifully crafted and a disguise to hide his face from reality. It was an ever present reminder that he could never reach her. He held back rare tears as he tied it on his face, hiding it from everyone.

"It's showtime."

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><p>P&amp;B: So, have I grown? I think this is pretty good from all the other stuff I've written… Hey, can anyone take a guess to what happened to Mikan? Or who she is?<p>

Rain: I know! She- *muffled*

P&B: Don't tell them! It's for them to find out! Anyways, please read and review! That would help me a lot!

Rain: Well folks, *pant* we hope*pant* you enjoyed the *pant* comeback *pant* of Pockybear, till next time *pant*!


	2. Chapter 2: Memories

**ARGH. I really thought I had posted this chapter up when I actually posted the previous chapter a second time! I was actually confused on why it was the same when I tried the live preview. I thought it was because I just recently uploaded it and it would take a bit of time to change or something. : P**

**Anyways, this is finally up, so I'm really sorry for all the confusion...**

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><p><strong>Welcome to chapter 2 of Animal Masks! I think I just lost hope in ever updating regularly. Forgive me! It's also a very, VERY short chapter, but I'll try and post a lot longer, dahlings!<br>**

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><p>Chapter 2: Memories<p>

"_Nice to meet you, Hime of the Yukihira Clan. I am Natsume Hyuuga, your new personal servant." The boy said, his speech quite eloquent for a six year old child._

"_Ser...vant?" Mikan glaced at him, her four year old eyes looking him up and down in curiosity._

"_Yes. I am your servant."_

He was well behaved for his age. Most unlike other kids his age. But it was his duty as her personal servant to always be serious in his work. And he wasn't about to disobey orders just to fool around with the girl, though that was very short-lived, and before long, she had wormed her way into his stone-like heart, just like she did to everyone she touched. They had experienced so many things together. He let her in. He knew all her secrets and vice-versa. They were never seen without each other. They were... happy.

Well, that was short-lived as well.

He still remembered her pale face, the way they had found at the bottom of the cliff, her body mangled. It was pouring rain and, so dark he had the hardest time finding her. He had cried and sobbed that day, as he watched other people lift her body carefully and carry her over to the palace to alert the royal family.

There was lots of blood. In fact, everyone doubted that she had survived. But he knew. He had found out she was still breathing when they had laid her onto her bed in the castle. He took her hand and felt a pulse. He let her go and ran for the nearest physician, which was none other than Imai, the brother of Hotaru Imai, her best friend.

They took her to a room influenced by the royal doctor's healing alice, where he had begun working on her. He could remember the way Imai's cold mask had cracked when she had heard the news, just like his. The way her face was twisted in sorrow. Ruka, her personal servant in the past, had rubbed her back soothingly as she cried into his chest, wetting his clothes. Every soul in the castle had been torn apart at the announcement that their dearest Hime was on the brink of life and death.

It was no exaggeration that the Hime of the Yukihira Clan had practically been the sun, always shining down on the people of their land, cute and bubbly and so very innocent. She was stubborn as well, and never ceased to fight for what she believed in. Every day, when she wasn't receiving lessons from the countless tutors or being charmed (more like charming) her countless suitors, she would go down to the village, saying hello to everyone and bonding with all her people. They were her life, and she was theirs. And when the sun had disappeared forever, the people's hearts had died along with it.

Apparently there was no choice.

He would call them selfish and cruel, but he could never complain to them. He would cry and scream and toss and turn at night only to serve them with a plastered, fake smile on his face. Their daughter was suffering so much and so they agreed with the royal counselor to just take advantage of the situation? They never minded how much their people had grown cold and heartless without her to spread her joy, her laughter…

Her sunshine.

"It was the only way to make her agree to this." they would say, "She would've had to grow up sooner or later. She would have had to step up to responsibilities as the ruler of the Yukihira Clan."

And that's when they issued masks.

At first they were plain and white. But they evolved so that they were decorated. Nonetheless, if you were caught without a mask you were arrested and banished from the Yukihira Clan's land. It was ridiculous, the way people had followed the new rule, hoping that even though she would never know them everything would be the same. It never was.

The princess was to never know of her people, or of her past. She would only know etiquette, how to rule a Clan, how to sacrifice her whole being for it. There was no time for nonsense anymore. There was no time for playing or running around or being kids. There was no time to spare to know her people, none at all.

She had disappeared just like that.

It was hard to even imagine she had ever existed.

But now she's gone.

And she will never come back.

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><p><strong>Please read! It might explain a bit more:<strong>

**Hime would be like the princess,**

**Oji would be the prince.**

**Kotei would be the king/emperor.**

**Kogo would be the queen/empress.**

**Royalties would be people of royal blood. Some are less important than others, and some actually own a whole Clan like the Yukihira Clan. All royalties have Alices. Non-royalties don't have any Alices.**

**I hope that can clear some stuff up! If I need to answer any other questions please review me or PM me! I'll add it on!**

**_Michie Eru:_ **Yeah, basically Koko is from a sort of Royal Family. Or he has royal blood. Either way, he's someone important. : P As for Mikan, you'll probably find out about it in the next chapters. I tried to fix all the grammar mistakes and stuff and I'm rewriting the chapter a bit to have it make a bit more sense... Hope that it fits your tastes!

**_The Burnt Jewel:_ **I tried studying the way they describe scenes, and I really did try my best to describe the scenes better... I'll look back through it and edit some more! Thank you for your critisism!

_**papaya-san: **_Sorry... I'm trying really hard to make the characters less OOC, but I guess it ain't working. : P I'm gonna try harder and make it less OOC!

**Anyways, I hope you enjoyed my new update! Seeya!**


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